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Commonwealth games

“It’s been a while since Glasgow won the right to hold the Games, way back in the heady pre-crash days of 2007. From the start, we’ve been endlessly told of the economic benefits that the tournament will bring to the city, and the east end in particular. And few would dispute that the area hasn’t desperately been in need of investment for a long time, scarred by post-industrial decay and municipal neglect, and with large swathes of it left as barren wasteland. That was, we were continually reminded, what the games were all about – bringing jobs, homes and new opportunities to deprived communities in Glasgow. Indeed, the council leader was at it again in the Record just last week (for some reason repeating the claim in a piece about how great the flurry of private student accommodation new builds across the city are). Seeing the signage pictured above should be enough to set alarm bells ringing though, cause there seems little to indicate that this project is designed for the benefit of those already living in the east end. Everything – another hoarding reads “affordable luxury in a unique setting” – adds up to a desperate bid to lure young ABC1s into the area. The development’s website, hilariously titled ‘City Legacy Homes’ (20% have been assigned as ‘social housing’, a net increase of 103 homes in the sector, wow!) goes further, stretching the definition of ‘local amenities’ to include West Brewery, a trendy ‘craft beer’ outpost in the middle of the Calton…. just over a mile away down London Road!”